Lubricating device



y 4- J. L. CREVELING 1,965,691

LUBRICATING DEVICE Fiied July 22, 1932 JNVENTOR.

ATTORNEY 1y extending peripheral flanges of the cover. Other features and objects of the invention Patented July 10, 1 934 wnarca'rme nEvIon John L. Creveling, near Tucson, Ariz, auignor to The Lubrication Corporation, South Bend, Incl, a corporation of Delaware Application July 22,

1932 Serial No. 623,935

12 Claims. (01. 221-47.!)

This invention relates to lubricating pumps or guns and more" particularly to lubricating pumps or the high pressure type.

One of the primary objects of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive lubricant pump peculiarly adapted for viscous lubricants such as grease. An important feature in the attainment of this object lies in the arrangement which permits the use of a can from which both it ends may be removed, in the place of the usual reservoir or other lubricant supply. The use of an open end can mayalso considerably facilitate the operations involved in servicing and using the pump, i. e., filling the reservoir with lubricant and connecting the same to the pump, as well as save in the cost of manufacture.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lubricating pump that is compact and easily stored in an automobile and which also may be as readily refilled with lubricant.

A feature of the invention relates to the arrangement of the high pressure cylinder within the body of the pump, the body-forming a lubricant container and a convenient handle for the 2 5 operation of the pump. This arrangement is especially valuable for use in the contact 'type of pump shown in the illustrative embodiment.

The inner or high pressure cylinder is preterably concentric with the lubricant container and is shown as provided with external right and left hand threads respectively engaging-movable pis-, tons which are moved toward each other by rotation of the cylinder relatively to the container or vice versa. The movement of the pistons toward each other'is thus effective to force lubricant .into the cylinder through an intermediate inlet, which may be located sub-' stantially midway between the two pistons.- A convenient means of rotating the cylinder comprises a cover rotatably arranged at the end of the container and held against axial movement by a flange on the container coacting with engaging means carried by oppositely disposed inwardwill be apparent after a reading of the following description of several illustrative embodiments which are shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating a lubricating pump constructed according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view showing a diflerent'locking means; and

er 10 and force it to lubrication fittings.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating a modified form of my invention.

In the drawing-10 represents the container portion of the pump, preferably being an open ended cylinder such as a portion of a can in which no lubricant may be shipped and stored. One end of the container 10is closed by a rotatable cover 11 having a flange 12 through which screws 13 extend into engagement with a flange 14 formed on the container 10. -The opposite end of the 5 container is open, and extending longitudinally and concentrically through the container, is an externally threaded cylinder 15 forming part of a high pressure lubricating pump generally designated 16.

The cylinder 15 is held in position concentrically of the container 10 by pistons 17 and 18, threaded onto .the cylinder, and by its connection with the cover 11. The rear, end of the cylinder 3 15 is slipped through a hole 19 in the 'cover 11 7 and is secured against rotation by a key 21, a capnut 22 being screwed onto the extreme rear end 0f thecylinder.

The pump 16 includes in addition to the cylinder 15, a tubular plunger 23 slidably mounted so in the cylinder and having a tubular stem portion 24 extending forwardly therefrom through the-front endof the-cylinder. =---The stern portion is provided at its front end with a coupling 25 of any desired type adapted to contact with and 3' supply lubricant to lubrication fittings.

Plunger 23 may be'normally urged to its outer position by a spring 26 between coupling 25 and the end of cylinder 15, as shown, though the spring may be omitted-if desired and the plungo er pushed outwardly to its operating position by grease pressure. The plunger 23 and stem. 24 are of sufiicie'nt rigidity to withstand the thrust forces necessary to the lubrication operation. Plunger '23 reciprocates within the high pressure portion 27, of cylinder 15, and coacts with a check valve 28, formed by a cage 29 and a ball 31, and with inlet 'ports 32, formed'transversely through its barrel 15, to receive'lubricant fromthe contain- Cylinder 15 is provided with right and lefthand threadedv portions-33 and 34 which engage pistons 17 and 18 respectively to exert pressure upon the lubricant between the pistons. The entrance to barrel 15 is through the ports 32 which are, as shown, preferably disposed midwaybetween the pistons 17 and 18. The-rear end of the cylinder is closed, preferably, by a removable plug 35 which carries the valve 28.

In the operation of the gun, assuming that'the 11.

ion

space between pistons 17 and 18 is filled with lubricant, and that the outer portion 27 of cylinder 15 is empty, the pump 16 may be filled with lubricant by rotating the cap 11 relatively to the container 10. This causes rotation of the cylinder 15 relatively to the cylinder 10 and, inasmuch as the pistons 1'7 and 18 are frictionally held by contact with the walls of cylinder 10, this action rotates the cylinder 15 in the pistons 17 and 18. The pistons are thus drawn together and force lubricant through the bore 32 into the cylinder 27 and then through the stem 24 to the coupler 25. Then the coupling 25 may be applied to any desired fitting to which lubricant is to be supplied and a thrust movement imparted to the body 10 orcap 11.

The thrust action will force the lubricant which is within the cylinder 15 to pass outwardly through the tubular stem 24 and into the fitting. Upon the release of the applying force, if spring 26 be employed, piston 23 will move outwardly by reae son of spring 26 and the partial vacuum created in cylinder 15 will tend to draw lubricant through the port 32 and past valve 28 to the interior of the cylinder 15 from which it may be discharged by a subsequent thrust operation. The lubricant may be continuously supplied to ports 32 by rotation of the cover 11 which will force pistons 17 and 18 together and compress the lubricant therebetween. If spring 26 be omitted, this action will force the plunger 24 into its outward position, ready for another application.

When the lubricant has been exhausted, the gun may be recharged by releasing the screws 13 and drawing the whole gun rearwardly from the empty can 10. The right hand piston 18 can then be spun on the threads until it contacts with the cover 11 and the left hand piston can be unscrewed and entirely removed from the screw threaded portion and also slipped over the left hand or front end of the gun and removed from the entire apparatus. Then the gun can be pushed through the lubricant of a full can, the left hand end obviously going through first, and the right hand end of the apparatus can be engaged with the flanged portion of the new can as is shown in Figure 1. The left hand piston 17 can then be passed over the end of the gun and screwed up on the threaded portion until it closes the end of the can as shown in Fig. 1 whereupon the gun may be operated in the manner described above.

Optionally, the gun may be refilled in an alternative manner. Instead of entirely removing the piston 17 from the threaded portion 33,

the nut 22 may be removed and the cover 11, thus being released, may be drawn ofi. Thereafter,

- the piston 18 can be screwed off of the center stem while the piston 17 can be screwed back to a point adjacent the end of the screw threads. Then the gun may be pushed through the lubricant in the can from the left hand side and the right hand piston screwed up upon the threads and the cover 11 and nut 12 replaced. By this method the valve 28 will be withdrawn through the right hand end of the cylinder 15 (the plug 35 closing the rear end being first removed) and the valve cleaned at the same time that the pumpis refilled.

The type of gun illustrated in 1 lends itself to an arrangement at once tending toward simplicity and compactness without material alteration. If it be desired, the spring 26 maybe omitted, the grease or other lubricant pressure built up in the low pressure cylinder being utilized to force the high pressure plunger to its outer limit. So utilized, when the last increment of lubricant has been forced out through the high pressure plunger, the plunger will remain telescoped within its cylinder thus making a very short gun to be stored away.

In Figure 2 is shown an alternative method of holding the cover 11 upon the can 10. Therein the cover 11 is provided with a plurality of right angle latches 41 and 41a each pivotally mounted upon a lug 42 and each provided with a spring 43 for holding them in the latching'position shown. By rotating the latches 41 and 41a about their pivots as shown in the drawing, the flange 14 may be released and the cover 11 withdrawn.

In Figure 3 the container 10 is shown as provid- 'ed with a rear cover 46 and with an apertured closure 47 which forms a cover for the front end of the container. Thus, it is unnecessary to provide any means such as the latches 41 or the screws 13 for holding the cover 46 in position inasmuch as the container 10 is held between the covers 46 and 47. The cover 46 is fixed upon the rear end of the cylinder 15, but preferably the cover 47 is slid over the front end of the cylinder and is secured in position by a sleeve-nut 48.

The right hand cover 46 serves to rotate the cylinder 15 relatively to the cover 47, the container 10 and thepistons 1'7 and 18; the left hand cover 47 being held in position longitudinally by means of the nut 48. This structure allows the plunger 23 to be removed from the cylinder, so that the stem 24 and coupling 25 do not have to be pushed through the grease in applying the filled can. In the operation of re-filling, the nut 48 is unscrewed from the cylinder 15 and then, together with the plunger 23, the stem 24, and the coupler 25 is withdrawn fromthe cylinder. The cover 47 is next removed and thereafter the remaining parts of the pump are removed rearwardly from the container 10. The piston 17 is then unscrewed, piston 18 spun back against cover 46, and the cylinder 15 is pushed through a new can of lubricant. If desired, the container 10 may be used again for lubricant, it being possible to refill it by merely pushing it into a relatively large supply of lubricant.

While I'have illustrated and described several preferred forms of the invention, it is understood that this showing and description'are illustrative only, and that I do not regard the invention as limited to the forms shown and described or otherwise except by the terms of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A lubricating pump comprising, a lubri-' cant container, a high pressure cylinder, said cylinder having an intake port located near the middle of the container, oppositely movable pistons in the container, and means for'moving the pistons simultaneously toward each other to force lubricant to said intake port.

2. A lubricating pump comprising, a lubricant container, a high pressure conduit, said conduit having an inlet port located near the middle of the container, oppositely movable pistons in the container, and a manually rotatable member having right and left threads respectively engaging the pistons for forcing them together.

3. A lubricating pump comprising, a lubricant container, a high pressure cylinder concentrically arranged therein, said cylinder having an inlet port located near the middle of the container, oppositely movable pistons in the container adapted to confine lubricant therebetween, and

means to move the pistons simultaneously toward each other.

4. A lubricating pump comprising, a lubricant container, a relatively rotatable high pressure cylinder concentrically arranged therein, said cylinder having an inlet port located near the middle of the container, right and left threads on the cylinder, oppositely movable pistons engaging the right and left threads respectively adapted to confine lubricant therebetween, and means for rotating the cylinder.

5. A lubricating pump comprising, a cylindrical lubricant container having a shoulder,fa cover rotatably engaging the shoulder, a high pressure cylinder secured to the cover and having right and left threads, said cylinderhaving an inlet port, and movable pistons on opposite 'sides' of the port engaging the right and left threads.

6. A lubricating pump comprising, a cylindrical lubricant container having a shoulder, a cover rotatably engaging the shoulder, a high pressure cylinder secured to the cover and having right and left threads, said cylinder having an inlet port, movable pistons on opposite sides of the port engaging the right and left threads, and a piston in the cylinder having a tubular stem.

'7. A lubricating pump comprising, a cylindrical container, covers at each end rotatably engaging the container, a high pressure cylinder secured to the covers and having right and left threads, said cylinder having an inlet port, and movable pistons on opposite sides of the port engaging the right and left threads.

ranged at substantially equal distances from the port and adapted to approacheach other as the cylinder is rotated with respect to the container.

10. A lubricating pump comprising, a lubricant container, a cover rotatable thereon, a removable apertured end closure for the container, 9. high pressure cylinder secured to the cover, said cylinder having a piston therein having a stem extending through the closure aperture, said cylinder having right and left threaded portions, a nut securing said end closure to said cylinder, a piston engaging each threaded portion, the cylinder being formed with an entrance port, said pistons being arranged at substantially equal distances from the port and adapted to approach each other as the cylinder is rotated.

11. A lubricating pump comprising, a lubricant container including a cylindrical member wholly open at each end,,a pump cylinder located member, a piston operating in said cylinder, and

a pair of pistons movable along the outer wall of said pump cylinder and in engagement with the inner wall of said cylindrical member to form movable end walls for the lubricant container.

12. A lubricating pump comprising, a cylindrical lubricant container, a pump cylinder positioned in said container, a cover for one end of the container secured to one end of the cylinder, a cover for the opposite end of the container slidably mounted on the opposite end of the cylinder, and a nut screwed upon the cylinder and securing said slidable cover. 

